Hygiene station for individuals

ABSTRACT

The present invention comprises a disposable hygiene device with a toilet seat with a top and bottom surfaces, where the toilet seat folds for storage before or after use. A receptacle is attached to the bottom surface of the toilet seat. After use, an adhesive on the top surface of the toilet seat is exposed by the removal of a protective layer. The toilet seat may then be folded onto itself to seal the hygiene device for easy disposal. The toilet seat may also include handles or an extension to ease proper orientation and use of the disposable hygiene device. The present invention also includes hygiene stations, preferably portable, that may be used with the disposable hygiene device, hygiene stations that include rotatable, extendable and height adjustable bathroom fixtures, and hygiene stations have a common connection point for inputs and outputs.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/613,539 filed on Dec. 20, 2006, which is a divisionalapplication of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/804,445, filed onMar. 19, 2004, which in turn claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/456,292 filed on Mar. 20, 2003. The disclosures ofthe above applications are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to hygiene devices and hygienestations. More particularly, the present invention relates to disposablehygiene devices, mobile hygiene stations and integrated hygienestations. The present inventions are advantageously used by individualshaving mental or physical impairments that make completion of hygienetasks difficult or impossible. The present inventions are alsoadvantageously used by individuals in locations where completion ofhygiene tasks is difficult.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Typically, individuals have been restricted to conventional bathrooms inperforming hygiene functions, such as using the toilet, washing and orgrooming, regardless of their age, physical abilities or mentalfaculties. However, conventional bathrooms can be problematic forvarious individuals, such as persons having physical or cognitivedisabilities. This is specifically the case for individuals that usemobility assisting devices such as wheelchairs, canes, walkers or thelike. As an example, conventional bathroom designs, in both home andinstitutional environments, may require than an individual in awheelchair perform a complex ‘dance’ to perform hygiene tasks includingtraversing around objects and through doors to get to the bathroom,manipulate the door, transfer themselves from the wheel to the toilet,then again from the toilet to the wheelchair to wash his or her hands,and then reverse their traverse. On top of this, conventional bathroomdesigns also tend to offer insufficient space to allow a caregiver toassist the individual.

In addition, there are various times and situations where performinghygiene functions is inconvenient or unsanitary. For example, truckers,RV-ers, campers and other travelers may not have ready access tobathrooms. In addition, bathrooms that are available may not be suitableas they are not suitably clean.

As such, there is a need for disposable hygiene devices, portablehygiene stations and integrated hygiene stations that provides greateraccessibility to individuals in all places including bathrooms. Moreparticularly, there is a need for hygiene devices and hygiene stationsdesigned to assist individuals and caregivers in the performance oftoilet and hygiene tasks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a disposable hygiene device with atoilet seat with a top and bottom surfaces, where the toilet seat foldsfor storage before or after use. A receptacle is attached to the bottomsurface of the toilet seat. After use, an adhesive on the top surface ofthe toilet seat is exposed by the removal of a protective layer. Thetoilet seat may then be folded onto itself to seal the hygiene devicefor easy disposal. The toilet seat may also include handles or anextension to ease proper orientation and use of the disposable hygienedevice. The present intention also includes hygiene stations, preferablyportable, that may be used with the disposable hygiene device, hygienestations that include rotatable, extendable and height adjustablebathroom fixtures, and hygiene stations that have a common connectionpoint for inputs and outputs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view a disposable hygiene deviceaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross sectional view a disposable hygiene deviceaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment ofa hygiene station for use in combination with the disposable hygienedevice.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a second preferred embodimentof a hygiene station for use in combination with the disposable hygienedevice.

FIG. 5 illustrates another perspective view the second preferredembodiment of the hygiene station along with other modules.

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a third preferred embodiment ofa hygiene station for use in combination with the disposable hygienedevice.

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a fourth preferred embodimentof a hygiene station for use in combination with the disposable hygienedevice.

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of another hygiene stationaccording to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, is a disposablehygiene device 10 that includes a toilet seat 12 that is generallydoughnut shaped with a hole through the middle. Attached to theundersigned of the toilet seat 12 is a receptacle 14. Together, thetoilet seat and the receptacle may be utilized for the toiletingfunctions of an individual.

For those who are able, the disposable hygiene device may be held inplace during use. Alternately, as described below, the disposablehygiene device may be supported by a hygiene station during use. Ineither situation, the disposable hygiene device provides a convenientmethod of accomplishing the toileting function when a toilet is notavailable or accessible. Also, even when a toilet is available andaccessible, the disposable hygiene device provides a sanitary method ofaccomplishing the toileting function or a convenient method ofcollecting samples to be used in a variety of medical tests.

In one preferred embodiment, the topside of the toilet seat 12 includesan adhesive 16 covered by a protection layer 18 that is peel removable.After use, the protective layer may be removed to expose the adhesive.After exposure, the adhesive may be adhered to a separate cover panel orlayer (not shown) to seal the receptacle. In a preferred embodiment, oneportion of the toilet seat is adhered to another portion of the toiletseat to form a sealed receptacle. To facilitate the adhering the toiletseat to itself, the toilet seat may include one or more fold lines 20.The fold lines ease the requirements for folding the toilet seat on toitself. Preferably, the toilet seat is folded in half.

The toilet seat may include a pair of handles 22 located opposite eachother. The handles facilitate holding the device in place during use.For example, the individual may use the handles to hold the deviceduring use. The handles also provide a visual orientation cue for theproper use of the device, which may be important for individuals withcognitive difficulties.

The toilet seat may also contain other visual orientation cues in theform of an extension 24 as best seen in FIG. 3. Any extension will besimilar to a handle, except that it will be without a mate. Typically,the extension will be placed toward the front of the device. Theextension may also serve other functions such as a urine guard to helpdirect urine to the receptacle. Additional visual orientation cues maybe used, such as markings (i.e. arrows, notations, monikers, etc.) onthe toilet seat (such as representative block marking 23 FIG. 1) orreceptacle to indicate front, back, top or bottom and/or proper orimproper use of the device. These markings can be disposed on the front,rear, sides, etc. of the toilet seat, receptacle, or any other portionof the disposable hygiene device 10.

As discussed below, the handles and/or extension may also help orientthe device on a hygiene station.

The toilet seat may be made of any material, whether considereddisposable or not. For example, metal, plastic, ceramic, cardboard,paper or the like are all suitable materials for the toilet seat. Thepreferred embodiment includes a toilet seat made of a material that iscost effective to be disposed after a single use (i.e. disposable) andbiodegradable. Cardboard and paper are preferred materials for severaladditional reasons. These materials can readily be made sturdy enough toremain substantially flat surface during use while also being weakenough to permit folding after use. Furthermore, cardboard and paper arereadily made to the desired shape, such as by die cutting. Thesematerials may also readily have fold lines created through a number oftechniques including die cutting, clamping or perforation. In addition,these materials readily accept adhesive and adhere with cost effectiveadhesives. In one preferred embodiment, the cardboard or paper toiletseat is coated with or impregnated with a water proof or water resistantmaterial to help prevent decomposition of the toilet seat in thepresence of water.

The receptacle may be attached to the toilet seat in any manner thatgenerally insures a water tight seal between the receptacle and thetoilet seat; e.g. an adhesive. The receptacle may also be heat staked orotherwise melted to attach it to the toilet seat. This may beparticularly preferred when the toilet seat contains plastic or aplastic cover layer.

The receptacle may be made of any material that is capable of containingthe results of the toileting functions. A relatively flexible, waterproof plastic bag is preferred. In a more preferred embodiment, a clearplastic bag is utilized to facilitate visual inspection of the resultantwaste by a caregiver. A variety of indicators may be utilized on thereceptacle to notify when a receptacle has been used e.g. a wetnessindicator.

The adhesive on the topside of the toilet seat may be spread acrosssubstantially all the area of the toilet seat or spread across only aportion of the toilet seat. Preferably, at a minimum, adhesive isapplied on the toilet seat around at least half the circumference of thetoilet seat. Thus, when folded, a proper seal can be insured. In apreferred embodiment, the adhesive is spread around the wholecircumference of the toilet seat. The adhesive may be applied in anymanner or pattern that minimizes material costs while leading to asealed disposable hygiene device after use.

The protective layer is typically sized and shaped to conform to thesize and shape of the toilet seat. However, to save materials, theprotective layer may be sized and shaped to cover only those areas ofthe toilet seat which contain the adhesive. Furthermore, the protectivelayer may also include a tab, loop or other device which facilitatespeeling the protective layer away from the adhesive. Such a feature maybe particularly advantageous for individuals who have limited physicalor cognitive abilities. The protective layer may be any suitablematerial that keeps the adhesive from sticking to the individual duringuse and preferably is a wax or plastic coated paper. While a singlepiece protective layer is preferred a protective layer with multiplepieces may be suitable.

Manufacture of the hygiene device may be accomplished using methods wellknown with the art. In one preferred embodiment, manufacturing includeslayering a sheet of toilet seat material with a protective layer, wherethe toilet sheet material and the protective layer are at leastpartially separated from each other by an adhesive. Cutting the toiletseat to shape may be accomplished by die cutting or other suitabletechnique. Attaching the receptacle to the toilet may be accomplishedwith any suitable technique. There is no particular order in which themanufacturing steps need to be carried out, although layering followedby cutting followed by attaching is the preferred order.

The device may include one or more facilitating components thatfacilitate the toileting functions or disposable of the used device. Forexample, odor control may encourage an individual to use this type ofhygiene device or station again. Odor control mechanism may be a part ofthe device such as scented material within the receptacle, as part ofthe receptacle material, as part of the toilet seat or as part of thepeel exposed adhesive. In one embodiment, the act of removing theprotective layer causes the release of covering scent. Otherfacilitating components include a portion of toilet tissue, sanitarywipes or gel to provide hand cleaning after use, and/or instructions onthe proper use and disposal of the device. In one preferred embodiment,both toilet paper and sanitary wipes are held in a dispenser at or nearthe front of the toilet seat or on the extension, if present. Anotherfacilitating device may include a hydroscopic material contained withthe receptacle. Such a material may facilitate the disposal of thedevice.

The device may be packaged in an envelope or bag that holds the deviceand some or all of the facilitating components as well. The envelope mayserve as an addition disposal bag into which the used device may beplace along with the other used components. Such a double layer wastedisposal system may be required by some municipalities for the disposalof human waste. The envelope may also be resealable. The use of anenvelope also would permit the hygiene device to be easily sold in apiece by piece manner, such as in public bathrooms.

The present invention also includes a hygiene station that may be usedseparately or in combination with the hygiene device described above.Regardless, the hygiene stations of the present invention permit anindividual to accomplish toileting functions with a good deal of dignityeven if the individual is of limited mobility.

In a first embodiment, the hygiene station is intended for use byindividuals that are bed bound, where the toilet is brought to the bed;the essence of a portable hygiene station. By themselves or with thehelp of a caregiver, an individual may place a hygiene station with ahygiene device in the bed to permit the accomplishment of toiletingfunctions without the need to leave the bed. Referring to FIG. 3, thehygiene station 100 includes a main portion 110 that includes a well112. The receptacle 14 of the hygiene device 10 is received in the wellwhen the hygiene device is placed on the hygiene station (assembly isgenerally shown by the arrows).

The main portion may also include a recessed portion 114 that is adaptedto receive, and otherwise support, the toilet seat 12 of the hygienedevice 10. Preferably, the toilet seat 12 is seated within the recessedportion 114 when assembled so that a relatively flat top surface on themain portion 10 is presented to the individual. In a preferredembodiment, the recessed portion is shaped to also receive the handlesand the extension that may be part of the toilet seat. In this way, boththe hygiene device and the hygiene station provide visual cues on howproperly assemble the hygiene device to the hygiene station.

In addition to the main portion 110, the hygiene station 100 alsoincludes a wedge or ramp 116. The wedge provides a sloped inclinegenerally from the bottom surface of the main portion to the topsurface. With the incline, an individual may find it easier to maneuverinto proper position to use the hygiene device. The wedge means that anindividual with a minimum of upper body strength could slide themselvesup the incline and into position or vice versa. In the absence of thewedge, an individual would have to lift themselves up whilesimultaneously sliding the hygiene device into or out of place. Thewedge also means that an individual caregiver could also maneuver a userinto proper position with a minimum of help from the user or fromanother caregiver, by either moving the individual or the device into orout of place.

The hygiene device may be made of any material sturdy enough to supportthe weight of the individual, such as metal or plastic. Preferably, aclear plastic is utilized to facilitate a visual inspection of thereceptacle by a caregiver. The hygiene device also preferably is made ofa material that resists sliding on bed linens. In the alternative, thehygiene device may include a layer or coating on its bottom surface thathelps resist sliding on bed linens.

In a second embodiment, the hygiene station is intended for use byindividuals that have limited walking capabilities or have limitedaccess to traditional toilet facilities (e.g. truckers, RV-ers, campersand the like).

Referring to FIGS. 4-7, several different embodiments of the hygienestation are depicted. The depicted hygiene stations 100 have in commonthat they have a support for an individual in a sitting position; thatis, they have a seat (e.g. a chair or a bench) with a support ring orsurface 120 (shown in phantom on FIG. 7) to hold the toilet seat 12 ofthe hygiene device and an open space or well 122 in which to receive thereceptacle of the hygiene device (assembly is generally shown by the oneor more arrows).

The hygiene stations shown in FIG. 4-6 each include a support ring orsurface 120 with a recessed portion 124 around the well 122 that isadapted to receive the toilet seat of the hygiene device, as discussedabove with respect to the first embodiment of hygiene station. However,such a recessed portion is not necessary, as shown in FIG. 7, where thehygiene device is merely placed on an un-recessed surface 120.

The hygiene stations are sized and constructed to permit easy movementof the station to and from the location where the toileting functionwill be carried out, whether that is bedside, within a vehicle orelsewhere. For example, the hygiene stations shown in FIGS. 4-6 mayinclude wheels or sliders to permit the station to be moved to bedside.The station shown in FIG. 7 would sufficiently light weight so that anindividual or caregiver could move the station by lifting. In anotherembodiment not shown in the figures, the hygiene station may also attachto or hang on a door.

Although the hygiene stations shown in FIGS. 4-7 are preferablyportable, they may be temporarily or permanently affixed to a floor, awall, a door or the like of a building or vehicle to prevent the hygienestation from moving. Alternately, as seen on FIGS. 4 and 5, a wheel lock125 may be used to temporarily prevent the hygiene station from movingor being moved.

In addition to the toilet, the hygiene stations may include a variety offacilitating components that facilitate the toileting functions ordisposable of the used device. These facilitating components may beinstead of or in addition to any such components that may be part of thehygiene device. For example, as seen in FIGS. 4-6, an odor controlmechanism may provide fresh air or odor removal through a plurality ofvents 126. These vents may also provide temperature conditioned air.Lights on the hygiene station may be utilized to provide visual cues asto the proper use of the stations or generally to illuminate theposition of the station. As needed, the hygiene station may contain apower source (e.g. battery) or a power cord to connect to the buildingor vehicle power supply.

As seen in FIGS. 4-6, the hygiene station may include a source of toiletpaper 128. A basin 130 for washing may also be included, as seen inFIGS. 5-7, in the hygiene stations. The basins may be removable orpermanent to the hygiene station. Alternately, a source of sanitarywipes or gel may be provided. Storage compartments 132 (includingsealable compartments) may also be included in the hygiene stations, asseen in FIGS. 5 and 6.

As seen in FIGS. 4,5 and 7, the hygiene stations preferably include armsor support grips 134 on either side of the open space or well, althoughas seen in FIG. 6, this is not necessarily the case. Indeed, the absenceof arms may be advantageous, as the embodiment of FIG. 6 permits anindividual to face the basin while performing toileting functions, sothat the individual does not need to reposition themselves in order washtheir hands.

Some of the facilitating components of the hygiene stations discussedabove may be modular in they can be added, removed or used independentlyof each other, as necessity dictates. For example, as seen in FIG. 5,the hygiene station 100 includes a main toilet module 136, a basinmodule 138 and a storage module 140 as an integrated, portable unit. Themain toilet module is shown on its own in FIG. 4. Handles, grips orother devices may be used to facilitate adding, removing or otherwisemoving the modules.

The hygiene stations are preferably used with the hygiene device;however, this is not necessarily the case. The depicted hygiene stationsmay include electrical and plumbing connections to the building orvehicle in which they reside. Alternately, the hygiene stations may havea self-contained source of water, a waste reservoir and/or an electricalsource (e.g. a battery).

In another aspect, the present invention comprises a multi-functionalhygiene station where several functions are integrated into a singleunit. Referring to FIG. 8, the hygiene station 150 includes centralcolumn 152 connected to a base 154. To central column, a number ofbathroom fixtures 156 such as a toilet 158, a sink 160 and a bathingunit 162 are attached. In this particular embodiment, the bathing unitis a shower, however, a bathtub bathing unit is also contemplated.

The bathroom fixtures are preferably capable of at least one of thefollowing actions to ease an individual's use of the bathroom fixtures:rotating about the central column (shown by arrows and phantom views inFIG. 8); adjusting height from the floor, and/or extending from thecentral column. The range of motion for each bathroom fixture ispreferably significant; however, even movement of a few inches mightsufficient. While bathroom fixtures preferably are able to make a 360″rotation, such freedom of movement is not required.

The permitted movement of the bathroom fixtures eases the strain ofaccomplishing multiple hygiene functions at one time. For example, onceseated on the toilet, the individual may rotate the sink to bring itwithin reach so that the individual does not need to move from thetoilet to wash. In another situation, an individual can shower whileseating on the toilet by rotating the shower. Height adjustable bathroomfixtures are advantageous to ease an individual's use of the fixture.For example, the sink may rise up so that an individual in a wheel canroll underneath the sink. A sink that extends from the central columnwould offer similar benefits to an individual in a wheel chair or anindividual with a walker.

In a preferred embodiment, the sink is located above the toilet on thecentral column and both are rotatable and height adjustable, while theshower is rotatable. In another embodiment, the bathroom fixtures areintegrated into a single platform connected to the central column wherethe platform is rotatable and height adjustable. In this embodiment, thecentral column may be located through the substantial center of theplatform or may be located to provide a cantilevered platform. Inanother preferred embodiment, the toilet and sink are locatedback-to-back (as seen in FIG. 6), and the shower functionality isprovided by a wand stored on the side of the hygiene station. Statedalternately, the central column does not necessarily extend to a heightor length that is greater than the sink, toilet or bathtub.

The central column of the hygiene station provides a unified connectionpoint for the source and drain plumbing that may be used by the hygienestation. Instead of requiring hot and cold water lines for each of thetoilet, sink and shower, a single set of hot and cold water lines can beprovided through the central column. A similar advantage is realizedwith respect to the drains for the hygiene station. Such unified sourceand drain plumbing reduces the cost of installation and maintenance. Ina preferred embodiment, all the bathroom fixture have common watersource lines and at least the toilet and sink have common drain lines.Where a bathtub is included, it preferably shares a drain with thetoilet and sink. In addition, a unified connection point permits ahygiene station to be modularly built in the factory or as part of theinstallation of the station. The unified connection point typically beat or near the floor or wall, however the connection point may be nearthe ceiling.

The hygiene station may also include a variety of other facilitatingcomponents that help with the toileting, washing and/or groomingfunctions. For example, the hygiene station may include lighting,storage, mirrors, support rails, a water collection system, aventilation system, a heating and cooling system, a humidity controlsystem, an audio-visual system, a monitoring system, and combinationsthereof.

One example of a water collection system would be a floor pan thatdirects shower water to a drain with a sloped floor and/or with abarrier on the floor.

Besides entertainment, the audio-visual system may also provide taskprompting to the user who may require such prompting to adequatelycomplete toileting or other hygiene functions, such as washing, toothbrushing, etc. The audio-visual system may also provide warnings such asregarding water temperature or slick floors.

The monitoring system may include both video and audio monitoringcapabilities, including items such as microphones and speakers tofacilitate two-way communication between the individual using thehygiene station and a remotely located caregiver. The monitoring systemmay also include a call button that the individual could use to requestassistance.

Doors and panels on the central column may be used to give or restrictaccess to the various mechanisms and components of the hygiene station.For example, a medicine cabinet door may provide an individual withaccess to storage, whereas a locked access panel may restrict theindividual's access to the plumbing system.

In a preferred embodiment, the central column contains all of thesefacilitating components. As seen in FIG. 8, the hygiene station 150includes a floor pan 164, a ventilation system 166, a light 168, amirror 170 with storage behind it, and support rails 172.

In addition to the water source and drain, the hygiene station alsopreferably has an electrical power source, such as being tied into thepower system of the building or vehicle where the hygiene station islocated. Other inputs may also be necessary, such as wire or computercables to provide information for the audio-visual system on the hygienestation.

The base to which the central column is attached is typically a floor orceiling, thus providing a central column that is substantially vertical.In another embodiment, the central column is attached to a wall or othervertical structure, thus providing a central column that issubstantially horizontal. In either case, the base may be portable orpart of a permanent structure. In addition to the roughly cylindricalshape of the central column shown in the figures, other shapes are alsopossible including regular and irregular polygons. In one embodiment,the central column is a partition (e.g. a C-shaped partition) or stallthat provides the individual with privacy during use of a stationlocated in a public place.

It will be further appreciated that functions or structures of aplurality of components or steps may be combined into a single componentor step, or the functions or structures of one step or component may besplit among plural steps or components. The present inventioncontemplates all of these combinations. Unless stated otherwise,dimensions and geometries of the various structures depicted herein arenot intended to be restrictive of the invention, and other dimensions orgeometries are possible. Plural structural components or steps can beprovided by a single integrated structure or step. Alternatively, asingle integrated structure or step might be divided into separateplural components or steps.

In addition, while a feature of the present invention may have beendescribed in the context of only one of the illustrated embodiments,such feature may be combined with one or more other features of otherembodiments, for any given application. For example, one possiblecombination would be a hygiene station that resembles the stationdepicted in FIG. 8 that is not plumbed, but rather uses the describedhygiene device in combination with a sink and/or shower that draws waterfrom a self contained reservoir. It will also be appreciated from theabove that the fabrication of the unique structures herein and theoperation thereof also constitute methods in accordance with the presentinvention.

The explanations and illustrations presented herein are intended toacquaint others skilled in the art with the invention, its principles,and its practical application. Those skilled in the art may adapt andapply the invention in its numerous forms, as may be best suited to therequirements of a particular use. Accordingly, the specific embodimentsof the present invention as set forth are not intended as beingexhaustive or limiting of the invention. The scope of the inventionshould, therefore, be determined not with reference to the abovedescription, but should instead be determined with reference to theappended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which suchclaims are entitled. The disclosures of all articles and references,including patent applications and publications, are incorporated byreference for all purposes.

1. A disposable hygiene device, comprising: a toilet seat having a topsurface and a bottom surface; and a receptacle extending from the bottomsurface of the toilet seat, wherein a top surface of the toilet seatincludes a visual orientation cue to insure proper orientation of thedevice.